"Appointment system needs improving -..."

Appointment system needs improving - that is putting it mildly. I need an operation and was told it would be mid August. After visiting my GP as I was in so much pain, he wrote asking that the date be brought forward. Obviously his opinion has been completely ignored. I have had two appointments for the op and both have been cancelled. The appointment today was cancelled just as I was about to leave home. I am 80 and live about 20 miles from the hospital. Public transport takes 3 bus rides to get there. After the op I would have to pay for a taxi to take me back home. It would seem that nobody really cares. This hospital would not survive in private practice. I now have an appointment for 3 weeks time. Dreading the thought of another phone call on the day in question. Surely it can't happen a 3rd time!!!!

Responses

We are very sorry that this patient's operation was cancelled twice. Due to operational reasons and having to prioritise a number of urgent cases, it is regrettable that for a short period during the summer when we had to postpone some patients with less urgent surgical procedures. We are aware that it is not acceptable for patients to have treatment cancelled at short notice and we are revising working practices to ensure we address this issue. Addressing a different point in this patient's comments; the hospital does offer all eligible patients the option of transportation to and from the RUH free of charge and has done so for some considerable time. We recommend that this patient, or indeed any patient not satisfied with the standard of care they receive, contacts the hospital directly in the first instance. In this way, we are able to deal directly with any issues raised and to ensure their onward care is of the high standard we would wish it to be.